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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29361480">putting you up</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/newct127/pseuds/newct127'>newct127</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Babysitting, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Getting Together, Kim Dongyoung | Doyoung is a panicked gay, M/M, One Shot</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 04:27:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,142</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29361480</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/newct127/pseuds/newct127</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p><br/>The last thing Doyoung expected to feel whilst babysitting was jealousy.<br/>[or, Doyoung's supposed to babysit, but his niece seems to be a valentine.]</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Kim Dongyoung | Doyoung</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>186</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>putting you up</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/dojaefairy/gifts">dojaefairy</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>thank you for being an amazing friend fio. i hope you like it 💛💛💛💛</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Doyoung’s niece and Jaehyun met because of an accident, and it's all Taeil's fault.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everything was going to plan, with Heejin — his niece, happily playing in the living room while he was making her lunch. That was when his phone went off, with Taeil calling him to let him know he twisted his ankle, and he needed someone to come and pick him up from the hospital. Doyoung couldn't take her with him, and leave her alone even less. A moment of desperation took him to the apartment door on the other side of the hallway. Jaehyun didn't turn him down, which Doyoung will always be thankful for.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If only Jaehyun didn't win over his niece to the point where she prefers him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She hates me," Doyoung says. He looks at Taeil over the steam of their morning coffee and gives him a pout. The older has dismissal written all over his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nowadays, Doyoung babysits a few times a month. He really likes babysitting. He would love it if his niece wasn't asking to see Jaehyun as often as she does </span>
  <span>— multiple times, every time she’s visiting. It’s too much for Doyoung. It’s not like he doesn’t want to see Jaehyun too. But they can’t just bother him every time she wants to. She already sees him more than enough. Doyoung’s the one who should be seeing more of him, since they live door to door. Not his niece.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She doesn't hate you," Taeil responds, his tone of voice indifferent. Doyoung's pout deepens and Taeil sighs at him, before adding, "She just likes him more. They hit it off really well," he says and gives him a shrug. Doyoung's pout remains, because none of what his roommate's saying is making him feel better. It could be true, but that doesn’t mean too much because he is also wrong a lot. Taeil rolls his eyes at his pout and promises, "She'll warm up to you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe Taeil's right and that's exactly what it is. Jaehyun hit it off better with her. Them hitting it off is a really simple explanation. It’s not scary at all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why is he so afraid of what a kid thinks, anyway? It's just a kid. What can she do to him? Beside not liking him and ignoring him, which just so happens to be more hurtful than he expected him to be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why doesn't she like him? He's been nothing but nice to her. He always lets her have sugar, he takes her wherever she wants and he gets her the best gifts. Science says he should be her favorite person in the entire world. But that's not the case.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He used to think they were at least okay, but ever since he saw the way she acts around Jaehyun, he knows that isn't true. It scared him for a moment. The last thing Doyoung expected to feel whilst babysitting was jealousy. Who even does that?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wonders if he can do something to make her like him more. Maybe he should try buying her love again. There must be some teddy bear or doll that she really wants and no one else in the family will buy for her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I hope you're right."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taeil takes a sip of his coffee, then narrows his eyes at Doyoung and asks, "Why did you agree to do it again, anyway? You always complain that she doesn't like you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She's my niece."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then stop complaining about it and take it on the chin. She'll be here for you to keep her occupied for a few hours. Keep her occupied then," Taeil tells him. He sounds like he’s done with his bullshit. Doyoung writes it off as Taeil not being a morning person. "She doesn't have to like you. Be a good uncle by keeping her safe. That's more important than anything else."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Right. And it's super easy for the most part. Give her some of the toys he has stashed here, feed her some cookies, turn on Cartoon Network. All he's supposed to do is sit and watch her, maybe play with her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're right," he says to Taeil.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her liking him would be amazing, but her safety is more important. If only he didn't care so much about the fact that she doesn't like him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He does pretty well at first. Taeil leaves for his morning classes, and Doyoung's cousin brings the little one right on time. She greets him nicely, and takes his hand when he offers it to take her upstairs. Once her dad leaves is when the trouble begins. He's successful at bribing her with chocolate so she isn't too loud, but she does not let him play with her. And watching her isn't super easy, not like it was in the past.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Heejin learned a new trick.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doyoung turns around for a moment to get his niece a refill on her juice and the next thing he hears is the front door of his apartment unlocking and opening. She's already knocking on the door across the hall when he reaches her. Speedy little munchkin. She's too smart for him, too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Heejin, what are you doing? You scared me!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I want to see Jae," she responds and knocks on the door again. Doyoung reaches out and catches her hand, but only after she knocks. It’s too late.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He feels guilty, but only for a moment. In the next he realizes the positive side — Doyoung would be a fool to tell her no on this. It's giving her what he wants too, though he'd never admit it out loud. More importantly, there is the chance that it'll also get him in her good books.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The second knock gets the residents of the apartment to hurry up. Doyoung really hopes Jaehyun is the one that gets the door. He doesn't want to piss off his roommate. Johnny's nice really, but it's so early in the morning that he's probably still asleep. He's not happy after being woken up, though he tries not to make it obvious. Doyoung only knows it because of the fire drill a few months ago that the superintendent decided to put on at 7 in the morning on a Sunday. Everyone hated the superintendent that day, but Johnny especially.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doyoung crosses his fingers and stands up straight. He lets out a sigh of relief when the door opens. He might not get on his niece's good side today, but he definitely won't get on Johnny's bad side either. At the moment that seems important.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What is more important, however, is Jaehyun himself. Standing in the doorway in his pajamas, with messy hair, tired, puffy eyes and glasses that suit him incredibly well. Doyoung swallows, feeling his palm getting sweaty and his heartbeat growing stronger. He looks so cute and so attractive at the same time. It would be helpful if he could take a moment. But he can't.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Heejin's going to make his crush obvious and with that get him in trouble. His biggest fear is that he'll expose himself on accident and it'll result in it breaking whatever tiny friendship he has with Jaehyun at the moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Good morning," Jaehyun says, blinking at Doyoung.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Uncle Jae!" Heejin shouts, getting Jaehyun's attention. He looks down at her and immediately smiles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey little one," he says to her with a cheerful voice, and reaches out to ruffle her hair. Heejin giggles at him, like Doyoung did that one time Jaehyun pointed out his hair was getting long. Oh, no. Does she have a crush on him? Is that why she always wants to see him when she comes over? Isn't she too young for crushes? "How are you?" he asks her and squats down to be on her eye-level.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh. That's so thoughtful of him. No wonder she likes him. Though there must be something else too, cause Doyoung also does that, yet she doesn't like him. Doyoung decides that he has to get to the bottom of it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm good. I'm playing stuffed animals with Doie."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun looks up at him and smiles at him too. Doyoung gulps again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"She's not. She's refusing to let me play along with her," Doyoung says lightly, mostly to say something and not make things awkward. It's not supposed to be anything more than that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Jaehyun turns to Heejin and pouts at her. It's almost comical. Doyoung would laugh if Jaehyun doesn't say what he says next.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You should share your stuffed animals with Doie," he tells her. Not only does Heejin not pout back at him, like she does when Doyoung asks to play with her before telling him no, now that Jaehyun has aske, she agrees to do it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay," she smiles at him, "Will you come play stuffed animals with us?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun looks at Doyoung, the question written on his face. He wants Doyoung's permission, so Doyoung nods at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll come over in a few, I should get dressed first."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay," Heejin says again. She pulls her hand away from Doyoung's, turns around and heads back into the apartment. She's a force to be reckoned with now, at the mere age of six. She'll be a fun teenager for her parents.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's alright if you're busy," he says to Jaehyun. He doesn't want to put him in an uncomfortable position where he has to come. Heejin is his responsibility for the rest of the morning, he's supposed to entertain her. It's cool if Jaehyun wants to, but he doesn't have to. "She'll be here for a few hours only, I can manage on my own."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not busy," he replies as he stands up straight, "If you don't want me to come over..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I want you to," Doyoung blurts out, interrupting him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Then I'll be there."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay," Doyoung nods, seconding it by clearing his throat. He's been unable to get rid of the little lump at the back of his throat this entire time. It's getting annoying, really. He wishes he was braver than he is right now. Jaehyun's kind eyes watching him carefully isn't helping either. "I should go. Shouldn't leave her alone for too long," he excuses himself and heads back to his apartment before Jaehyun can respond in any way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Heejin looks up from the stuffed animals around her when Doyoung returns, narrowing her eyes at him. Doyoung doesn't understand this annoyance of hers, he thought they were on good terms just now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're supposed to say thank you," she says to him when he sits down on the floor next to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What for?" She ignores his question completely, grabbing another one of the stuffed toys Doyoung has bought for her and setting it up next to the other, as if she's setting up an audience. So Doyoung repeats his question, "What should I thank you for, Heejin?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Putting you up," she says. That doesn't quite answer his question. Luckily, she explains herself, "Mama said that when two people like each other but aren't together they need to be put up so they can go on dates and love each other."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ah, she means set up. Wait. She's setting them up?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Who does she think she is?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doyoung suspects his face is turning red in embarrassment, he can feel warmth build up. He isn't sure what to say. Thank her? Scold her? He can't say anything, even if he wants to. Because there is a knock on his door. Jaehyun is here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He can only cross his fingers and hope that she doesn't bring it up in front of Jaehyun. He shouldn't have to deal with it. Doyoung takes a deep breath to steady himself before he gets the door. It helps, but it doesn't erase all of his panic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If Jaehyun looked cute and attractive in his pajamas, it's triple the amount now that he's in sweatpants. Doyoung has seen Jaehyun in sweatpants a handful of times since he moved in, but now it feels different. Now that Heejin is onto him, it hits him harder. He had the option of ignoring it in the past, but now someone knows. Someone who has no perception of what they know, and has no filter. Doyoung is so afraid that she will expose him by the time her parents come to pick her up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Luckily she doesn't.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun comes and she gets too distracted to talk about anything, at all. No one talks about anything beside the games they're playing. Heejin gives them a long explanation about the tea party they're throwing, all of them playing with an assigned stuffed animal. She gets fed up with it quite quickly, so they switch to playing hide and seek. It's Heejin's favorite game. She's still small and able to fit into tiny spaces, which is why she enjoys it so much, why she's good at it. Finding her could take a lot of time if she didn't give herself away by giggling too loudly, or trying to hold back her giggles and failing at it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It's nice. It's innocent and warm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The running around the apartment and hiding tires her out soon enough. So they sit her down on the couch to watch some cartoons, Jaehyun offering to keep her company the entire time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She falls asleep for her usual nap at noon with her head resting against Jaehyun's arm. That's a cute enough sight by itself, but then Jaehyun falls asleep too, his head resting against the back of the couch. And Doyoung's heart stops for a moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They're adorable. Both of them. To anyone from afar they'd look like a family. What a nice thing that would be to have with Jaehyun, he thinks for a moment. He has to stop himself. He blames it on Heejin's 'putting up' talk and it getting to his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that in mind, it's still a weird connection those two have. A friendship almost. In a way, Doyoung and Jaehyun aren't nearly as close and she and Jaehyun are. Saying it like that, he has to pause for a moment. He's no longer sure if he is jealous of Jaehyun, or of his niece. Maybe of both. They both have something he wants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He marvels in the sight for as long as he can before the inevitable happens. It's time to wake Heejin up because her parents are here to take her home. He attempts to wake her up only, but fails in the process. It results in him waking Jaehyun up instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes open barely, then he squeezes them shut in an attempt to clear his vision.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Everything okay?" Jaehyun whispers. It hits Doyoung how close he is to Jaehyun. Face to face, just centimeters away. He looks at Jaehyun's lips for a moment. Then he panics and moves away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah. Yes. They're here to pick her up," he tells him, whispering back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can lift her up," Jaehyun offers. Doyoung nods and immediately takes a step back, allowing him enough space for the maneuver.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wraps her arms around Jaehyun's neck, head resting on Jaehyun's shoulder. She remains in peaceful sleep, she doesn't move at all as they take the elevator downstairs, walk all through the parking lot and place her in the backseat of her dad's car.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Doyoung's cousin mouths a thank you towards them and waves goodbye before he gets in the car and drives off. And so Doyoung finds himself alone with Jaehyun, and with the awkwardness that's been building between them ever since that moment they had upstairs where Doyoung made it blatantly obvious that he almost wanted to kiss Jaehyun. Almost wanted. He has to tell himself that in an attempt to pretend he's still in control. Even though, at this point, he should just come to terms with the fact that he isn't. He has to own up to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They're in the elevator, on their way back upstairs, when the awkwardness starts turning into tension and Doyoung's in need of making it less scary than what it is. He needs to say something, he decides, even a simple observation is enough to ease this up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're really good with kids," he says. He gives Jaehyun a smile and looks away, too ashamed to meet his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thanks," Jaehyun returns. They're silent for a moment again, then Jaehyun takes it upon himself to continue the conversation, "I really like kids. I want to have one."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That just so happens to be the most dangerous thing Jaehyun could've said. A very cliché line pops into Doyoung's head at that statement, a joke he's heard in a hundred movies, but has never heard in real life. His coping mechanism tends to be awkward jokes, so it's right up his alley.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not today honey, I'm tired," Doyoung finds himself saying, seconding his joke with a smile. Jaehyun meets his eyes, a blank expression on his face. He fucked up. He fucked up so much. It's too late to take it back now, but he has to try. "I'm sorry, I took it-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How about tomorrow night, then?" Jaehyun asks him then. His lips quirk into a wide smile that invites his dimples to join the party. Doyoung's too weak to say no, why would he. His entire body screams yes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That's not what leaves his mouth, though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaehyun blinks at him. It's obvious what he said, there's no need to clear things up. Doyoung's not slow. It's only that he's been panicking all morning long.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Would you like to go out with me tomorrow night?" he asks, looking at Doyoung in anticipation of an answer. Doyoung's heartbeat speeds up again. He can't believe this is really happening. What even is this? How does he respond without sounding too eager? "It's okay if you don't. I thought I'd shoot my shot because I like you and I thought you like me too."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He's so right. He likes him. A lot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That's what Doyoung needs to say and that's exactly what he does say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I like you too," he blurts out a bit too loudly, in true Doyoung fashion. He takes a moment to steady himself before giving him the answer to the date invitation, "I'd love to go out with you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The elevator stops at their floor. With a ding the doors open, and Jaehyun heads to exit. Doyoung can't move, still in shock because of what just happened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll see you tomorrow night," Jaehyun says. He waves at him, leaving him to stand in the elevator.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Staying there is a good decision in the end. Doyoung needs the ride to the ground floor and up to calm himself down and convince himself it really happened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He'll have to tell Heejin that her 'putting up' worked next time he sees her. He'll have to thank her, too.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/newct127">twitter</a> | <a href="https://curiouscat.qa/newct127">curiouscat</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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